Republican presidential candidate John McCain needs someone to educate him about water compacts, says U.S. Sen. Mike Enzi.

And Wyoming's Republican senior senator is ready to take on the role of teacher.

Enzi said Wednesday McCain needs to learn why rushing into renegotiating the 1922 Colorado River Compact would be harmful to the seven states the compact serves.

"I will be teaching him," Enzi said, adding that while the eastern part of the country may enjoy abundant water sources, the same is not always true in the West.

"Out here, we're trying to figure out how to save it," he said.

According to story printed last Friday in The Pueblo (Colo.) Chieftain, McCain said the compact "obviously needs to be renegotiated over time amongst interested parties." But in a letter Wednesday to Sen. Wayne Allard, R-Colo., McCain wrote that his comments were misconstrued.

McCain's comments caused Colorado Democrats to say renegotiations would be "foolish," because a 2007 agreement among the states eased tensions caused by a long-running draught.

The compact governs how water is shared among Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming.

Arizona, California and Nevada are allocated 7.5 million acre feet of water each year, with the rest divided among Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming.

A spokesman said McCain was not advocating immediate changes and was instead talking about the prospect of long-term conversations.

Talks are necessary to address the growing demand for Colorado River water as the population continues to increase, McCain said.

Enzi said now is the time to educate people in Washington about the importance of water compacts, and highlighted the work he has already done to educate people about water issues in the West.

"I've made a lot of progress," Enzi said.

Reach education reporter Jasa Santos at (307) 266-0593 or at Jasa.Santos@trib.com.

AARP recognizes Enzi

Sen. Mike Enzi, R-Wyo. was recognized Wednesday by AARP for his leadership in keeping older Americans safe from falls.

Enzi received AARP's Legislative Achievement Award for the S 845: Safety of Seniors Act.

The act offers a strategy for effective intervention against the increasing numbers of falls among older Americans. AARP acknowledged Enzi's leadership as a key part in improving health security for the elderly.

In 2008, AARP is recognizing 10 House and 10 Senate members who championed legislation in economic stimulus, Medicare, housing, nutrition, falls prevention, workplace IRAs and 401(k) fee disclosure.